Decortication Treatment in India

David Gupta, a 58-year-old retired school...

David Gupta, a 58-year-old retired school principal and avid gardener, had always been healthy until a severe case of bacterial pneumonia six months ago left him with a persistent, debilitating cough and crushing fatigue. Despite multiple rounds of antibiotics, his breathing never fully recovered. A follow-up CT scan revealed a thick, restrictive 'rind' of fibrous tissue encasing his left lung, a complication known as fibrothorax. His pulmonologist, Dr. Sharma, explained that this pleural peel was acting like a straitjacket, preventing his lung from expanding. David was terrified of the major surgery, called a decortication, but the prospect of living as a breathless spectator to his own life was worse. The video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) procedure was grueling; surgeons meticulously peeled the fibrous layer off his lung. The first days of recovery in the ICU were painful, but with aggressive physiotherapy, he took his first deep, unrestricted breath in months. Within six weeks, his cough was gone, and he could walk around his garden without stopping. The emotional relief was profound; he moved from feeling trapped and frail in his own body to reclaiming his vitality and independence.